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| Lovely friends Jean Wise, James Watkins, and Dee Stark at the Taylor University Professional Writers Conference August 2016 |
When I returned from a writers conference, I bubbled with excitement as I told my friend, Loretta about my experience there. My words splashed out, filling the front seat of her car as we travelled to lunch and I shared with her my commitment to write for an hour a day.
“I am thrilled for you,” Loretta said, “But I feel strongly that you’re to do something more than writing each day.” A holy quiet embraced me. My heart picked up its beat. Because she chose each word carefully, I sensed the Holy Spirit was about to speak through Loretta. God usually tiptoes in when He has something significant to say. He rarely hollers and waves His arms. I shut up and listened.
“In order to write well, Jeanette, you need to spend time simply sitting still. Part of your ministry of communicating God’s love to people will be in those moments you are listening. You can’t hear from God unless you are quiet.”Wow.
I knew the Lord was not chiding me for talking too much. He was simply telling me to listen more. I already know everything I know. If I want to take His message of hope to sagging hearts, I must be still with Him long enough to fill my own sagging heart.
The same way I was born again. By His potent, loving grace.
Do you have a Loretta in your life, someone who speaks the wisdom of God into your thirsty soul? If so, give him or her a hug or a chocolate bar.
What a blessing - to have a friend so faithful and obedient as to share such things. I appreciate you sharing this today; it's something I needed to hear.
ReplyDeleteLoved reading you're Inspiration. May God keep blessing you.
ReplyDeleteThat's beautiful Jeanette, and such a blessing to have Loretta and also to receive the advise lovingly, and in obedience! I know how hard it can be to be still on the outside, when God is doing so much inner work on the inside. It honestly seems 'busier' even though to others and ourselves when we look outside, it may not. May you recognize His peaceful presence in You always.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you benefitted from the writing conference. I had to learn to become a human-being and not a human-doing. (This is the second time I have said that today.) God will guide you into the way He wants you to be; there is a need for both active doers and inactive doers in His Kingdom.
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